My best retort to those that think we listen to our stereos more than the music

I guess Blueranger is trying to say we are so caught up in tech, cosmetics and specs. we miss the artistry of the music or as mastering92 puts it we tend to lose sight of the goal.  I apologize Blueranger for those in this discussion who feel that you are an idiot you are not.

Then lawl it is mastering92.

cd318, can't argue with that. It's why Howard Johnson made 28 flavors.
The trick is to find a mate who likes sex at the same level you do and darn did I get lucky in that regard:-)

If I were to rephrase blueranger’s op, i would say we can approach our lives transactionally or relationally. For me, music in the background is transactional; low res music is transactional; focussing on acquiring the equipment is transactional. On the other hand, when I listen deeply, it is thrilling and sometimes even transformative.

Humans have physical needs, and we can get those needs met transactionally, without much depth to the experience. We can also get our needs met in a more  immersive way (an encompassing sound stage if you will). Some folks of all genders are satisfied getting their needs met in a sort of background music manner—and others are only satisfied when everything lines up just so. 
I suspect most of us are a mix, and our relationship to our equipment can be similarly mixed. 
See how much more concise blueranger is than me!! 

When a great song comes on the radio while I am in the car, it is magical.
End of story.

i strongly suspect alan parsons was telling it like it was, when he said, "an audiophile is somebody who uses your music to listen to their equipment."